Bomani Jones: Why Redman's Dare Iz A Darkside is so underrated

[Bugzbunny129]

Illmatic had 10 songs(9 full songs) and 5 total hooks on the album. There isn't a hook on the entire Illmatic album as catchy as "can't wait'. Obviously Ilmatic is better than Darez, but let's be serious. Nothing on Illmatic was "catchy". The album finally went platinum after 9 years. That album was for the purists. The hipsters finally caught on to it and constantly remind us, who actually bought it 30 years ago when they were ignoring it, how great it is hahaa. Imagine that.

I didnt say illmatic was catchy. You brought up illmatic snd now giving me a history lesson for some reason. Im aware of hipsters and illmatic i agree.

But I said its catchier than dare iz a darkside. Not that illmatic is the champion of that. nas is more poetic and smooth than reggie is. Redman is abrasive and erratic. Plus the beats are better on illmatic.

It just bores me overall today versus a lot of the other albums of the era which were good but i dont go back to anymore.

1994:

smif n wessun, redman, jeru type albums

Then biggie, meth, nas types

I go for the latter most of the time with the former getting less frequent listens. Theyre classics but i dont love everything about them. a regulr dope rap album of the era but my least fav redman album of the era. Nothing more or less.Cant wait is one of 3 i check on it, and my fav one.

That style dont work for red for me. I like him with more upbeat production than darker mid range slower stuff. If ya gon do that, mix it up more. Alotnof the beats sound the same on here and nothing better than any other album of the time and stuff dont pop and becomes a chore to listen to for me. Nothing spectacular.

 

[NYC Rebel]

Hearing Redman with Biz on an underground mixtape....I was so ready for his debut.

 

[NYC Rebel]

Bomani is incorrect. Red first showed up on Business neva personal in 1991.

 

[DaveyDave]

One of my favorite albums of all time, ironic that Redman hates it (dark period in his life).

Don't love it enough to watch Bomani (for some reason I can't stand dude) but will always support any thread on it, and on Red in general.

Matter fact I'm listening to this shyt tonight.

He’s ok, I don’t know how much I can listen to his voice tho

 

[Heavy_Handz]

He doesn't hate the album because of the music though, lol.

His personal life was falling apart when he made this and he was doing wild drugs, so he said the album triggers the trauma from that time. He also said most people tell him this is his best joint. But for him personally it reminds him of a low point in his life. Most artists make their best sh*t when they're heavy on drugs and going through sh*t. This is Reggie's version of Mary's My Life.

I’m not saying it’s a bad album but it’s definitely not better than Muddy Waters

 

[brentwoodsblacklightning]

One of my favorite albums of all time, ironic that Redman hates it (dark period in his life).

Don't love it enough to watch Bomani (for some reason I can't stand dude) but will always support any thread on it, and on Red in general.

Matter fact I'm listening to this shyt tonight.

Personally I fukks with his content and insight but I can fully understand why someone wouldn't

Something about his cadence when talking about shyt can get grating, like he wants to make sure you know he reps Houston/ATL. and on top of that dude is clearly educated and well knowledged but he def comes off as talkin down to the audience like we get it breh you smart

But he stays on code like when he pressed racist azz Will Cain on ESPN Radio on that NASCAR noose incident, or making Redikk get heated on the first episode of his HBO show when he said Coach K and Duke were the basketball avatar/embodiment of white aggrivement and cac mediocrity, he's seems solid to me but his commentary a acquired taste

 

[Awesome Wells]

Bomani is incorrect. Red first showed up on Business neva personal in 1991.

Business as Usual in '90.

On "Hardcore" and "Brothers on My Jock".

I was a fan instantly!!

 

[Awesome Wells]

I’m not saying it’s a bad album but it’s definitely not better than Muddy Waters

Naaaah, it's much much better, bro. LOL!!

Like not even close, to me. Muddy is still third after DIAD and WTA.

 

[Awesome Wells]

Or

Pac - Me Against the World
Ghostface - Ironman
Bizzy Bone - Heavenz Movie
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
George Lucas - Star Wars (OG) and Empire Strikes Back
Mick Jagger - Aftermath
Etc

We look at and love the finished products, they look at it and see ruined relationships, financial stress and mental strain (incl drug/alcohol abuse).

In Red's case:

Dealing with the loss of Rockafella
Heavily overworked due to his touring schedule
Used drugs as a coping method (he doesn't remember recording the album)
There was a VIBE article yeeaaars ago where he talks to a journalist who told him that during this time Red spent like an hour talking to him about why committing suicide is the only sensible thing to do.

Just stay funky like that / my style like, shhh, a junkie on crack

All true, bro.

He used to talk about his life during the recording of DIAD, and he said he didn't even go outside most days and just would wake up, get high and work on music. Erick Sermon said he had trouble contacting Red during that time and that's why he wasn't really on the beats on it. Red said he was probably depressed during that time and trying to navigate life, but definitely using drugs to cope. There used to be stories about him working in the weed spot Uptown, at the counter. Rappers would be going there and he would be working on the register. Wild sh*t like that! HAHA! Nore said he went there and saw him there one time. That's how bugged he was back then.

So I can get why he's blocked out the whole process of the album and can't remember anything. He said it wasn't just a title, but it was really the darkest time of his life. And that's why he wanted to be happier and have the music reflect that on Muddy Waters because he felt he was finally out of that dark place.

 

[Heavy_Handz]

Naaaah, it's much much better, bro. LOL!!

Like not even close, to me. Muddy is still third after DIAD and WTA.

Hell no!!

 

[TrapHouse Rock]

Naaaah, it's much much better, bro. LOL!!

Like not even close, to me. Muddy is still third after DIAD and WTA.

Muddy Waters was so disappointing to me and my crew its not that it was bad it was like "damn Red made
an album for normal nikkas" we was dusted, boostin and setting shyt on fire lmao and shyt DIAD was our audio bible

 

[King Poetic]

I gave it 3 & 1/2 mics

The problem for me is E Sermon didn’t do a lot of production on the album and Redman did

 

[DaveyDave]

I gave it 3 & 1/2 mics

The problem for me is E Sermon didn’t do a lot of production on the album and Redman did

But the beats are all ill AF so who gives a shyt who did them.

 

[Ku$h Parker]

All true, bro.

He used to talk about his life during the recording of DIAD, and he said he didn't even go outside most days and just would wake up, get high and work on music. Erick Sermon said he had trouble contacting Red during that time and that's why he wasn't really on the beats on it. Red said he was probably depressed during that time and trying to navigate life, but definitely using drugs to cope. There used to be stories about him working in the weed spot Uptown, at the counter. Rappers would be going there and he would be working on the register. Wild sh*t like that! HAHA! Nore said he went there and saw him there one time. That's how bugged he was back then.

So I can get why he's blocked out the whole process of the album and can't remember anything. He said it wasn't just a title, but it was really the darkest time of his life. And that's why he wanted to be happier and have the music reflect that on Muddy Waters because he felt he was finally out of that dark place.

You mean that Chronic from That Man Branson?

Loved the Album(and these Backstories cause maan Im glad he didnt commit that)after loving Whut?,94 was that Year for a Youngster to take in Rap

 

[pimpineasy]

Listened to this album so much.

Dope album. The production and lyrics on it are so dense and nuanced Im still catching hidden layers to this day.

Redman did say it was one of his least favorites since it represented a dark period of his life in terms of heavy drug usage.